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Rudy not to quit despite extravagance at AAI cost
Tuesday, 10 February 2004, 20:30 IST
NEW DELHI: Amid mounting evidence of his billing a state-run airport management agency for personal expenses, Civil Aviation Minister Rajiv Pratap Rudy sees no need to quit office, an aide said Tuesday.
A day after he shelled out a hefty amount to the Taj Exotica Hotel in Goa following accusations that the Airports Authority of India (AAI) paid for his luxury vacation, Rudy finds himself in deeper trouble with more disclosures of his extravagance at public expense.
The minister was reported to have billed the AAI for fancy renovations in his official residence, including a fountain and the purchase of paintings worth 
226,600 besides furniture, mobile telephones, greeting cards, et al.
"Why should he resign? If he is being accused of these things, then many other ministers should be made accountable," fumed a Rudy aide, speaking for the minister on condition of anonymity.
With the national polls ahead, a gleeful opposition made the most of a newspaper report Tuesday splashing 16 orders made out from the minister's office to the AAI chairman seeking immediate compliance for payments.
Said Congress spokesperson S. Jaipal Reddy: "These facts indicate corruption has become a way of life in this government. This government is permissive and licentious."
Demanding his immediate dismissal, the Communist Party of India-Marxist said: "The fresh evidence is confirmation that ministers in the Vajpayee cabinet are brazenly siphoning off funds from public sector units on various pretexts. The prime minister should set up an inquiry into how many have been resorting to such unethical practices."
Rudy had not even recovered fully from the controversy of squandering public money by letting the AAI pick up a tab of some 250,000 for a four-night, five-day stay with family at the Taj hotel presidential suite that cost 64,800 a day.
Though Rudy's damage control machinery swung into action, his aides were clearly on the defensive. One of them said: "All ministers do it and Rudy is just being targeted by interested parties.
"An official residence is like a minister's camp office, and the AAI has to meet the expenses. If the AAI had any objections, its chairman would not have cleared the bills."
According to him, it was usual procedure for any minister to get such work done and there was nothing wrong in it.
One associate of the minister argued that "vested interests" had ganged up against Rudy since the civil aviation policy permitting an open sky for private airlines was blocked in the cabinet.
The much talked about policy was not passed at a cabinet meeting Feb 4.
"They (Rudy's critics) are hitting below the belt," said the associate.
The controversy surrounding Rudy comes months after the Central Vigilance Commission (CVC) chief P. Shanker was reported to have complained to Vajpayee about diversion of funds from public sector units by six ministers.
Source: IANS
226,600 besides furniture, mobile telephones, greeting cards, et al.
"Why should he resign? If he is being accused of these things, then many other ministers should be made accountable," fumed a Rudy aide, speaking for the minister on condition of anonymity.
With the national polls ahead, a gleeful opposition made the most of a newspaper report Tuesday splashing 16 orders made out from the minister's office to the AAI chairman seeking immediate compliance for payments.
Said Congress spokesperson S. Jaipal Reddy: "These facts indicate corruption has become a way of life in this government. This government is permissive and licentious."
Demanding his immediate dismissal, the Communist Party of India-Marxist said: "The fresh evidence is confirmation that ministers in the Vajpayee cabinet are brazenly siphoning off funds from public sector units on various pretexts. The prime minister should set up an inquiry into how many have been resorting to such unethical practices."
Rudy had not even recovered fully from the controversy of squandering public money by letting the AAI pick up a tab of some 250,000 for a four-night, five-day stay with family at the Taj hotel presidential suite that cost 64,800 a day.
Though Rudy's damage control machinery swung into action, his aides were clearly on the defensive. One of them said: "All ministers do it and Rudy is just being targeted by interested parties.
"An official residence is like a minister's camp office, and the AAI has to meet the expenses. If the AAI had any objections, its chairman would not have cleared the bills."
According to him, it was usual procedure for any minister to get such work done and there was nothing wrong in it.
One associate of the minister argued that "vested interests" had ganged up against Rudy since the civil aviation policy permitting an open sky for private airlines was blocked in the cabinet.
The much talked about policy was not passed at a cabinet meeting Feb 4.
"They (Rudy's critics) are hitting below the belt," said the associate.
The controversy surrounding Rudy comes months after the Central Vigilance Commission (CVC) chief P. Shanker was reported to have complained to Vajpayee about diversion of funds from public sector units by six ministers.
Source: IANS